How can a car be changing velocity yet not changing speed?

Speed is a scalar, which means the car's speed will be a value that has a magnitude (number) only. Velocity is a vector, which means that the car's velocity will be a value that has both magnitude and direction. In this case, the car is changing its direction of travel but the magnitude of the speed stays the same.

JL
Answered by Jade L. Physics tutor

5076 Views

See similar Physics A Level tutors

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

Describe how a capacitor works.


Bernard says that a mass executing uniform circular motion is not accelerating as it's speed is not changing. Which parts of his statement are correct and which are false. For those which are false state why they are and give the correct version.


During take-off from earth, an astronaut of mass 76kg has an area of contact with his seat of 0.095m^2. Calculate the average pressure on the seat when the upward acceleration of the rocket is 47ms^-2


Explain how bright fringes arise in Young's double slit experiment


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning